The United Way of Ellis County will be hosting an open application meeting at the Hadley Center First Floor Conference Room, 205 E. 7th, Hays, on Tue., September 11 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. for those nonprofits, churches, and schools who are considering applying for program funding.

The United Way oversees the CARE Council, which was formed in 1994, to facilitate recommendations for funding. CARE stands for Community Allocation, Review, and Evaluation. The CARE Council is comprised of volunteers representing the City of Hays, Ellis County and the United Way.

These volunteers review applications for three different funding streams from the City of Hays Social Services, Ellis County Alcohol Tax and the United Way. Once the applications are reviewed, site visits are conducted with questions regarding operations, licensure and programs processes and procedures.

Agencies can also receive assistance from the CARE Council to identify problems or potential problems with experience in their area of need. This is to also ensure non-duplication of services among agencies and encourage cooperation between agencies to solve community problems.

Additionally, the United Way will have a presentation discussing VISTA volunteers and how agencies can benefit. There will also be a demo of a volunteer software package that can be shared with nonprofits, schools, churches, and other entities that use volunteers.

For more information contact Sherry Dryden, UWEC Executive Director, at 785-628-8281 or [email protected].